Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

Explain clearly the subject matter and its pertinence to/implications for the wider business. Students will be able to address (both on an academic and practical basis) a variety of operations and supply chain management issues both through a process of discussion and written work.

Evaluate the relationship between operations and strategy, and critically review the design of operations systems

Analyse the planning and control mechanisms in operations management, and also identify and discuss the contemporary operational issues that organizations face

Brief description

This is designed to give students a general introduction to some of the many topics that come under the general heading of Operations and Supply Chain Management and Consulting. This module will help students to gain an understanding of key areas of operations including definitions and examples from existing literature and from a set of example cases that illustrate operations in many different settings and markets. This course also aims to broaden and expand students’ knowledge of the techniques required for the design, operation and control of business processes and consulting. Emphasis will be placed on the application of the key concepts to actual business situations. In addition, various types of customer/supplier relationships are assessed along with the mechanisms required to reduce supply chain risk.
The aim of this module is to
- Provide students an understanding of how they, as future leaders of innovative organizations, can apply relevant operations and supply chain management concepts and techniques to manage operations effectively
- Identify key influential factors and use a range of operations management tools required to solve business problems pertaining to the operations of a firm
- Build students’ ability/skills to approach and analyse a variety of operations and supply chain management issues and communicate these effectively through business reports
- To assess the importance of customer/supplier relationships and to examine risk associated with supply chain management

Module Skills

Skills Type

Skills details

Application of Number

The course will develop a student’s ability to read and understand national accounts and other international economic data.

Communication

Discussion-based group seminars facilitate critical thinking and help to develop good presentation skills. Independent work on assessed essay helps to develop writing skills which will be of use when writing the assessment.

Improving own Learning and Performance

Students will improve their learning by undertaking directed but independent study and work. Time management will be crucial in preparation for the assessments.

Information Technology

The use of electronic journals and reports are highly relevant for the successful preparation of the report. In addition, although not required, students may choose to use electronic library databases.

Personal Development and Career planning

The module provides content which may prove highly valuable for students in their later careers. Knowledge and understanding of contemporary issues in the operational environment as well as research skills developed in connection with the preparation of assessed individual coursework contribute to transferable skills. This module equips managers with knowledge and tools to operate various functions across an organisation

Problem solving

The module demands the participants to apply analytical skills to reason and understand the challenging nature of the subject. By introducing a variety of theoretical as well as empirical topics, the module enables students to develop creative thinking approaches to problem solving and to critically evaluate potential solutions to complex and challenging problems. These skills will have to be applied in tutorial discussions, preparation of the written assessment and in the exam. Operations and supply chain management tools and techniques will be applied to business situations.

Research skills

Students will be mostly working with influential theoretical as well as empirical research papers published in operations and supply chain management journals. This will introduce them to a range of research methods, which will facilitate development of appropriate research skills necessary to produce high quality project reports. The students will have to prepare an individual report based on information that they will have to collect, having to arrange coherently in a written document all the relevant material gathered.